


If I Go Looking for my Dignity

by Burgundydragon



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Daenerys Targaryen, BAMF Jon Snow, But Dany be a little dark, Daenerys Targaryen Is Not a Mad Queen, Dany goes to the wall, Don't Like Don't Read, F/M, Fantasy, Forbidden Love, Jonerys, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, The Night's Watch (ASoIaF), Warg Jon Snow, so is jon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:15:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22595383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgundydragon/pseuds/Burgundydragon
Summary: After Robert's Rebellion Daenerys Targaryen is forced to grow up in the Baratheon's court alongside liars and manipulators. When she takes the opportunity to run to The Wall and the last family member she has, everything changes. Her life will no longer revolve around scheming lords but around the realities of survival.
Relationships: Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen
Comments: 60
Kudos: 186





	1. Prologue

**Stannis Baratheon**

The thunder bounced off the walls as he made the journey up the spiral stairs that ran deep inside the Red Keep. The click of his boots on the stone floor, the harsh spattering of rain on the roof, the rushed closing of a servants door was all lost on Stannis Baratheon. 

For the only thing that he heard was the former queen's soft plea to save her daughter from a cruel fate. He heard the shallow breaths that would be her last and the rustle of sheets as she passed the babe into his arms. 

_Her name is Daenerys Stormborn. Don’t hurt her, my lord, please. Promise me._

These would be the last words that Rhaella Targeryen would ever say and her haunting voice would be burned into his memory. 

His brother's face suddenly appeared in his thoughts and he already knew that there was little he could do if the princess was the focus of Roberts wrath. He had made a promise he couldn't keep, a promise to a ghost, a promise that he had never even voiced aloud.

Without warning he heard that same brothers voice muffled behind a heavy set of doors, shaking him from his thoughts.

“I will not let that dragonspawn live!” Robert bellowed, as the doors to the throne room opened. There standing at the foot of that ugly throne, was Eddard Stark looking solemn as ever. Robert glared at Stannis from across the room while sitting on the Iron throne. 

Suddenly the weight in his arms felt very heavy and the young Targeryen princess shifted against him. It was as if she could feel Roberts' hatred even if she was less than three days old. 

Ned bowed and moved to stand beside the king as he walked towards the throne. Stannis was glad that he was here to make Robert see some sort of reason, he had faith that Ned would not allow harm to fall upon the babe. But then he saw the drink in Roberts hand and he could not predict what he would do next.

“Your Grace,” the words feeling foreign on Stannis’s tongue as he looked up at Robert.

Ned turned to the new monarch, “Perhaps we should continue this audience tomorrow, Your Grace, and come back well rested in the morning—”

“No,” the king stated flatly in a tone the brook no argument, “We will settle this now.” 

The fire in Roberts eyes was a familiar sight, but the face that Robert made when he inspected the babe was one that he had never seen before. It was not his brother's face, this face was contorted with rage that was being kept barely at bay. 

He took another swallow of wine.

“It looks exactly like Rhaegar,” spitting the name out like a curse, “hand me a knife and I will give it the mercy of a quick death.” 

_Her name is Daenerys Stormborn._

“She is innocent of any crimes, a child should not be blamed for the wrongs of their family,” Ned said firmly as he looked upon the child.

“It is a Targaryen, no Targaryen is innocent,” Robert growled. Ned gave Robert a hard look and for a moment Stannis thought that another war would break out over one child. But then Ned looked down at the tile covering the floor. 

“Do you really want the blood of another child on your hands? Didn’t you have enough after Aegon and Rhaenys?” he asked so softly that Stannis had to strain to hear it. 

_Don’t hurt her, my lord, please._

“War is war. It could not be avoided,” Robert declared.

Ned spoke again still in that quiet voice of his, “but this is not war, this is murder.” 

Stannis took a deep breath and finally spoke, “It would show the lords that you are merciful where the Mad King was not.” 

“It could show that I am weak,” he said, crashing the wine glass in his hand down on the floor, venom still in his voice.

“It might placate some of the Targaryen loyalists,” a new voice entered the hall. Jon Arryn strode in, immediately silencing the throne room. 

“Let me see this great threat that you are yelling about,” and with that, he started walking over to where Stannis held her in his arms.

His age may have made some take the Lord of the Vale for a fool, but Stannis could tell that his mind was sharp.

“I don’t think that is necessary—,” Robert started, but was cut off with a wave of a hand. Even drunk, Robert would never disrespect Jon Arryn.

Lord Arryn moved the blanket back to reveal the babe, “Of course it is necessary,” Lord Arryn smiled as the babe giggled up at him. “Is that the sound of conquer, Robert?” he asked, “it sounds an awful lot like a babe to me.”

“It's a Targaryen!”

“She’s a Targaryen. Your grandmother was also a Targaryen if I recall? Do you want to be known as a kinslayer as well?” Jon Arryn snapped back. But then he seemed to soften for a moment, “let her live. What harm could come of it? She has no army and is a girl besides…”

_Promise me._

Stannis faced his brother, “Rhaella told me to keep her safe when I found her on Dragonstone. As your new Lord of Dragonstone I would foster her there.”

“If you wanted her farther away from King's Landing I would keep her as my ward in Winterfell,” Ned Stark stated. But the king just shook his head at both of these statements, the fire returning to his eyes.

“More wine!” he called, sending a steward running towards the kitchen.

_Promise me._

“She will stay here in court so that everyone may be reminded of my victory and that she can bear the shame of her family name,” both of his hands coming up to massage his temples, “it will be both my punishment and hers.”

 _Why would he do that? Why hurt himself and the child?_ Stannis thought.

“Why punish yourself Robert? You have won the throne,” Stannis gestures around the hall with his hands, putting his thoughts into words.

His head snapped up and his eyes focused on Stannis, “because I failed Lyanna! I waged war, I fought in countless battles, and I even killed the silver prince,” he took a deep breath, “I did all of that to have her by my side and I don’t even have that. So now I will have to look at the kin of her killer and be reminded how I failed her.”

Ned Stark shifted by his side, the wound of his dead sister is obviously still fresh, and he seemed to have found something very interesting hidden on the wall behind the throne.

The steward came bearing a flagon of wine, which the king took at a hearty swallow of.

The room was still and quiet. It was at this moment that the princess started to whimper. 

“Get it out of here. All of you get out. I would like to be alone,” Robert commanded.

And so swiftly, he walked from the chamber and started towards the room where he knew her wet nurse would be. But he was stopped by the sound of footsteps behind him. He turned to see Stark walking towards him.

“I would like to thank you,” Ned said without preamble, ”for standing up to your brother. It was the right thing to do.” The princess giggled and it seemed to bring Ned out from his sorrowful mood. He smiled and looked at her, but before long his eyes shifted back to Stannis. “keep her safe, for it is unlikely that I will be here to do so,” he sounded grave. 

Stannis nodded his head, “I will,” he promised. So many promises that he wasn’t sure he could keep.

_Her name is Daenerys Stormborn. Don’t hurt her, my lord, please. Promise me._

Seemingly satisfied Ned Stark bowed his head and continued down the hall. Leaving Stannis all alone with the last Targaryen. 

_I Promise_

  
  
  


  
  
  



	2. King's Landing

**Daenerys Targaryen**

_ 15 years later…. _

She awoke to the sound of bells ringing. A deep song that rolled over the city in melancholic waves. The vibrations shaking the walls and chasing the sleep away from her eyes.

She knew what they meant. She knew the message that they were sending across the city.

They rang because the Hand of the King was dead.

Tears gathered in her eyes but she would not let them fall. She would not waste tears on someone that trapped her here, but they pooled into her eyes all the same. 

_ I didn’t even say farewell _ , she thought.

Jon Arryn was like a father to her or as close to one as could be with the king looming over her head. He would read to her when she was young and would tell her fanatical stories about her ancestors. These were good stories, not the awful things that she would hear whispered about the keep. Later when the king's anger would get the best of him, Jon Arryn would be the one to make it stop. He was always kind to her, despite her name. One of the only ones in King’s Landing who was. 

Daenerys Targaryen stood from her bed hastily blinking her eyes trying to get rid of the flood of memories. She took a shaky breath, trying to put on the impassive mask that she had worn for so long.

Dany knew that she would not be welcomed at the funeral. The king would be there along with the rest of the court. It would give him the opportunity to humiliate her without any opposition. 

She could visit the godswood. It was where some of her fondest memories of him took place. Maybe the old Gods would listen, the southern gods never seemed to. 

The bells were still ringing and she sniffled while trying to block out the horrible sound.

Setting out to busy herself, she rifled through the clothes hanging in her wardrobe. Pulling out a dark blue satin dress, she examined it for a moment. Dany didn’t have any black. Why would she need it? All of her family was dead, along with anyone that she could possibly care about. This dress was as close as she could get and the lengthy skirt and the long sleeves would hide the bruises that lined her arms and legs. 

Miserable, she stepped into it and thought about how she would have to throw it away afterward. Dany would never be able to wear it again for there were already too many painful memories attached. 

She struggled with the clasp on the back of the dress and this only added to her frustration. 

Most of the highborn ladies would have handmaids to help them in the mornings. Someone to keep them company whether they acknowledged them or not. Dany wasn’t allowed this, and the only people nearby were the guards that stood outside her door. It hurt her, not because she could not dress herself in the morning, but because she was treated so differently from everyone else. She wished for a friend, a companion. 

She banished the thought and quickly plaited her hair down her back and smoothed her dress. She glanced in the mirror hanging precariously above her small desk.

Turning away from the mirror, she took a calming breath. She couldn’t look at herself. The strange silver hair and violet eyes that occupied her features were often the cause of the cruel japes and stares. She felt like a caged animal, one that was on display for everyone to see.

But now was not a time for such pitiful thoughts and so she straightened her spine and walked to where the door stood in the corner of the room. She wiped underneath her eyes hoping that it hadn’t looked like she had been crying. 

Twisting the knob that lead to the outside world, she pulled. 

The door didn’t move.

_ Not today, please don’t lock me in today _ , she silently pleaded. 

She tried again. Frantically pulling on the doorknob as she attempted to open it again, and again, and again. But the door refused to budge. 

“Stop that!” the guard yelled from outside while harshly pounding on the door. It would be a wasted effort to get the door open, only to confront the guard outside. She did as the guard told her and surveyed her room.

Sighing, she traded her dress for a soft tunic and breeches. She stuffed pillows under her sheets to make it seem as though she was in bed if anyone were to come and check on her, but that was very unlikely. 

Bending down she shimmied underneath her bed. Her hands caressed the cool bricks that lined her room. Finally, she found the stone that was slightly raised against the rest of the wall. Pushing on it a small passageway appeared and she wiggled inside as she had done many times before.

She didn’t like using it unless necessary. It was dank and damp, with only rats and spiders of one kind or another. The darkness seemed to swallow her whole she made it through the entrance and inside the tunnel.

Around her ninth name day, she had discovered it when trying to retrieve something from underneath her bed. Her foot had kicked the wall and the door had opened. For the next six moons, she had spent her free time discovering all of the tunnels and memorizing various routes by heart. She never found a way out of the keep. But she did hide multiple torches, a bag of clothes, and some valuable goods in case one day she would find an exit.

She had stopped exploring when she saw Lord Varys winding throughout the passageways and thought it better than the king never knew her secret.

Now Dany stopped and picked up one the torches that she had hidden so long ago, and used a match to light it. The light bounced off the wall and gave an eerie glow to the passage. But she pushed away her fears and stalked down the hall with a purpose. 

Her thoughts wandered as she made her way into the passage.

_ How could they take him away from her?  _ She thought. He was one of the only ones she had, one of the only ones who cared. But now she was truly alone. She would never see his kind eyes again or his soothing voice after she was punished by the king. Never again.

Once again tears threatened to spill from her eyes but she held them back.

“Why me?” she whispered to herself. This was her life, her punishment, all because of the things her family did. The family who were akin to characters in a storybook. 

A rat scurried somewhere and the sound broke her out of her reverie.

Suddenly the silence was deafening with the absence of thought. But she didn’t want to think anymore, she didn’t want to feel. 

So her feet took her the route that she knew best, she walked for what felt like a lifetime. The twisting and turning made her mind bend, but still, her feet knew the way.

A draft of cool air wafted over to her causing goosebumps to form on her skin. The end of the passage was near and the sunlight would be welcome after so much darkness. 

When she ultimately felt the cool stone that signaled the end of the tunnel she found the latch and flung open the door. 

The humid air was a shock, but a welcomed one. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the cool air, trying to get out the smell of the tunnels. Her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight and she smiled, but her smile died when Dany remembered why she was here.

She was on the back edge of the godswood, the trees were swaying in the slight breeze and birds were singing. It was a beautiful day, the weather blissfully unaware of the sorrow in her heart. 

She started towards the center of the woods. The quiet was not like that of the tunnels. The silence was not uncomfortable but was of a calming sort. It was almost as if she could almost feel his presence here. 

Her fingertips brushed along the trees and she closed her eyes to hear the sounds of the woods. The sunlight brushed over her face, warming her skin.

This was the place where she would like to remember him. She didn’t want her last memory of him to be somewhere dark and confined. 

Finally, she reached the heart tree in the center of the godswood. It was a huge oak tree that had been standing for centuries. The face carved into it was solemn and looked as though it was about to cry. She always thought that it was so sorrowful because it was here in King's Landing when it would rather be free.

Dany touched its face, trying to tell it however she could that she felt the same. She was trapped here too and would rather be free.

She sat cross-legged at the base of the tree within reaching distance of the trunk. She closed her eyes and let her walls crumble. All of the emotions that she had been holding in for so long finally rushed out. Fat tears slid down her cheeks and a sob wrenched its way free. 

She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, letting the emotions roll over her like waves. Everyone was gone and she was cursed to live her life alone. 

After some time she heard a voice not far off, and she slowly stood and said her goodbye to the great tree. Walking unhurriedly she took in the quiet of the godswood and made her way back to the wall where the door was hidden. She relished the sun for a moment before ducking into the blackness. 

Her tears were dry, although her face was still red by the time she found her way back to her chambers. 

Pulling open the passage door she shuffled from under her bed and into the light. 

She was blinded by the brightness for a moment after being in the darkness of the tunnels for so long. Black spots danced across her vision and she closed her eyes before taking a breath. She felt better after visiting the heart tree. 

A scraping noise caused Dany’s eyes to fly open. There in the corner of her room was a hunched figure, a whetstone sliding across his open blade. He didn’t look or speak and Dany didn’t move. 

Finally, he said, “His Grace sent me to fetch you for the funeral some time ago,” His voice was calm and collected but she detected the malice that hung underneath. “You can only imagine my surprise when I came into the room to find it empty,” he clucked his tongue at her, “the guards assured me that no one had come or gone so I waited. Thankfully now you are here, so no more of my time will be wasted. The king now wants an audience with you because of this little stunt,” Meryn Trant pronounced each word carefully.

“Good ser please―” she started before he roughly pulled her arm and dragged her from the chambers. 

She didn't fight for she knew it would only cause her more pain and her grief had drained her. The hold on her arm was like a shackle. The walk to the throne room was never so long and she could only numb herself and try not to think about the horrors that would await her.

The doors to the throne room opened. The king was on the throne with the twin Lannister's standing beside him as the other members of the small council stood below.

Cersei was in one of her expensive dresses that looked as though it weighed half of what she did. Her golden hair was piled atop her head and the jewels that adorned it must have cost a fortune. The sneer on her face marred her beauty and she looked over to her brother.

The Kingslayer was looking at the floor. His sparkling golden armor matching his hair. He was rarely in the same room as her and he preferred to keep his distance. She knew what he did and detested him for it. 

Eventually, she looked at the king. He looked as he always did. His girth barely being held within the confines of the chair. The fire in his eyes had not lessened over the years as he stared at her. How she wished that Lord Arryn was here.

Ser Me ryn pushed her to her knees with unnecessary force and there was a spike of pain that rippled up her thighs.

The Kingslayer winced.

Cersei spun towards the king, “you should have her head for this! Jamie killed one Targaryen he could do it again,” she hissed and The Kingslayer shuffled uncomfortably.

“Silence woman!” the king shouted while not looking at her. His eyes were trained on Dany as they always were when she was in his presence. “I’ll make her live in the kennels while we are away and make sure there is no chance of escape,” The Usurper growled lowly.

Lord Stannis walked up to the king. He was like Lord Arryn in that he didn’t treat her so differently from everyone. Alas, as she grew older he began to distance himself from her and was always mumbling that she looked more like her mother every day. But here he was defending her saying, “the kennels are a harsh punishment and wouldn’t be very secure. Besides, I thought you wanted to keep an eye on her and you wouldn't be able to do that if you are not in King's Landing.” 

_ They’re leaving,  _ she noted as she looked at Lord Stannis. Dany didn’t dare ask where they were going and always found it best to stay quiet. Despite herself, she felt a flicker of hope that she might get a momentary reprieve from the king

Lord Varys stepped up, “If I may, Your Grace, if she was clever enough to find the tunnels you must believe that she will find a way thought her evil trickery to escape,” he said while his slippers moved against the floor

“Yes it may be best to keep her close in times like these,” Lord Baelish added with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“Robert you can’t possibly do this. We can’t let people see us with the likes of her―” Cersei said before the king cut her off.

The king looked at Cersei, ”Did I ask you to speak?” he inquired, “I didn’t think so.” You could see that he was considering what the spider and Littlefinger had said. The king looked back at Dany and then shook his head in disgust. “Take her away. I have seen enough,” he growled with a wave of his hand.

She remembered Ser Meryn picking her up off the floor but she could not remember getting back to her chambers. Dany’s mind was still whirling after what she had heard. Why was the king leaving? Why was she brought in front of the small council? 

_ Lord Arryn why did you have to go?  _ She thought

The council members were never present when he called for her. So why this time?

These were the questions that she mulled over into the night and she could not find an answer to any of them.

Suddenly the door opened and revealed a young serving girl, “I was told to tell you to pack your things and to keep in mind cold weather. You are to leave at first light,” she said while looking scared.

“Thank you,” Dany replied before the girl closed the door.

_ Cold weather. The North. Ned Stark, _ all of the pieces finally fitting together in her head. Lord Stark was going to be the next Hand of the King. That was why they were leaving. She just hoped he wasn’t a cruel man.

She packed the warmest things that she could find and retrieved her mother's ring from underneath her bed. The ring was the only thing that she had of hers, but it also had another meaning. Lord Stannis always said that if she needed help to get that ring to him and he would find her. So she held it tight like it was a sword instead of a ring. 

She cried herself to sleep that night. She cried for Lord Arryn, she cried for herself, and she cried for the mother she had never met.

That morning after when she had bathed and braided her hair she went down to the courtyard. Dany had been told that she would be riding to Winterfell for she was not worthy of the carriage. It reminded her of the days that Lord Arryn had spent teaching her how to ride. Instead of sadness, she felt happy that she could remember the joy that he had brought to her life. 

Dany was given a beautiful silver mare that leaned into her touch as she fed her a carrot. She mounted her and gave him a soft pat. 

Dany didn’t look back as the city vanished behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you once again!


	3. Winterfell

**Jon Snow**

The king was traveling to Winterfell, the king and the rest of the court.

It was the bustiest that he had ever seen the castle and Winter town. Even when his father had gathered all the lords together for war the castle never seemed so full. Servants bustled about the keep preparing rooms that would be in use only hours later, for that was when the king was set to arrive. 

It seemed as if things had changed in the past few moons while they had been waiting for the king. Robb and the rest of his siblings seemed to always be off performing one lordly duty or another in preparation for when they would become lords and ladies themselves. He was angry that he wasn’t one of them and so he had tried to distance himself in the past fortnight.

This is how he had come to navigate the crowded courtyard alone with only Ghost at his side. He had left Robb after their sparring this morning, preferring to spend his time brooding unaccompanied. 

Jon pushed through the crowd of people flooding through the front gates. He felt like a fish that was swimming upstream, for he was trying to get away from the castle and not into it. 

Merchants, servants, knights, and what seemed like the whole north was now swarming into Winterfell to prepare. Winter town, which was normally deserted in the summer, now roared to life and it seemed that there were more people than the small town could handle.

He pushed people out of the way trying to make his way quickly through the courtyard. The shouts of people, the stomping of horses, and the clanking of wagons was all too much to bear. The noise penetrated every inch of the castle and Jon had to escape. 

_There are too many bloody people,_ Jon thought as he and Ghost roughly pushed through a particularly dense area of the yard. Some people made noises signaling their annoyance, but he didn’t stop to apologize. 

After one particularly large gasp of outrage from a large serving woman he looked back only to run into a man holding a large bucket of water. The impact caused most of the water to slosh over soaking the clothes of the man.

“Watch where you are going boy!” the man yelled after him but Jon continued on his way only feeling a slight twinge of guilt.

He wanted all of these strange people to leave and give him back the peaceful home that he remembered. 

He didn’t want the king to come.The king's arrival would only bring him pain. He would not get the same recognition as his siblings and would be pushed to the side like he always was. 

These thoughts caused him to speed up for he needed to get away from all the people that were constantly reminding him of his bastard status.

Shaking his thoughts from his head, he headed towards the godswood where there would be silence instead of endless noise. No one would be there, he knew, for they were far too busy with their duties. That was what he needed right then, the silence of the godswood.

The crowd thinned as the godswood can into view and the feeling of claustrophobia was lifted. 

His wolf made it to the entrance to godswood first and looked back at Jon as though he was asking permission. The dark red eyes that often distrubed people only brought Jon comfort as he stood at the entrance to the woods. He nodded his head at the direwolf and Ghost disappeared in a blur of white.

As he stepped in and he took a deep breath relishing the smell of the forest. As he walked among the trees the noise started to fade and he could finally hear himself think clearly again. There was no talk of the king here and the woods continued to remain unchanged unlike the rest of Winterfell.

Suddenly, the howl of a wolf sounded across the trees.

 _Shaggy dog,_ Jon concluded.

Little Rickon's wolf was being kept by here for the safety of the people. He knew that it was not Ghost, for he never made a sound. 

The trees swayed in the breeze and clouds covered the sun as he walked deeper and deeper into the cover of the grove . 

When he made it to the center of the woods, he saw the huge weirwood standing ghostly among the pines and sentinels. The pond below was crystal clear and he looked down to see his reflection staring back up at him. He took a seat where his father always sat, on the huge gnarled roots that ran around the water.

Jon sat beneath the tree and looked up into its eyes. The eyes of the weirwood seemed to look into his very soul. Robb always said that the weirwood tree in Winterfell was laughing, but to him it didn't look that way. The face carved into it looked solemn and as though it was about to cry.

Jon's face darkened.

 _Robb is probably running around with Greyjoy,_ Jon thought and raked his hands through his hair. The thoughts of Robb brought on the thoughts of the king. He knew his siblings were all in the castle anxiously waiting to see their idols.

Robb wanted to see the king, Sansa the queen. Bran and Rickon both wanted to talk to the knights of the kingsguard. But Arya, ever surprising him, wanted to see Daenerys Targaryen.

“A real live Targaryen princess! I wonder if she is anything like Visenya,” she’d said,”if she's anything like Sansa it will be the most disappointing day of my life!” Afterwards she had run off to do whatever Arya does.

But it had gotten him thinking about the Targaryen and if she was great like her ancestors or mad like her father. Roberts hatred for the Targaryens was known across the Seven Kingdoms, which meant her life was probably far from glamorous. She was probably nothing like Visenya the warrior queen, but he hadn’t had the heart to tell Arya that.

He wind picked up and blew over the godswood scattering his thoughts like it did the leaves covering the forest floor. The wind caused the great tree to sway like it was dancing to music that he couldn’t understand. 

Being near the tree helped him to organize his thoughts. He even prayed to the old gods and asked them to please make him a Stark for then he would not have to endure the knowledge that he was a burden to everyone. The gods did not answer but then again they never did.

Jon sat there for a long time, not wanting to disrupt the peace that he had found. But he knew that that royals would be arriving soon and he did not want to be late and anger Lady Stark. 

He got up slowly, whistled for Ghost, and walked lazily out of the woods dreading the meeting. Ghost padded silently across the ground, slinking in and out of view. Jon let his mind wander as he left the woods and returned to the world. 

His feet had taken him back to the main courtyard that was significantly less crowded than it had been hours before. 

His musings were interrupted by summer bounding up to Ghost. Bran was not far behind and ran up to Jon with a smile on his face. 

“Jon! I saw them, all of them! They’re almost here!” he exclaimed and pointed towards the gate. His hair looked windswept and there was dirt smudged across his face. He looked happy and Jon wouldn't hurt him by not returning his enthusiasm.

Jon smiled, “you’ve been climbing again have you?” Bran gave a guilty smile. Jon knew how much Bran loved climbing and all about how Lady Stark disliked his passion.

“Just don’t let your mother catch you,” Jon whispered and upon hearing that Bran grinned ear to ear.

At that moment he heard footsteps coming up behind him and saw Bran’s eyes dart over his shoulder. He knew that it was most likely Lady Stark who stood behind him,

Catelyn Stark was not a cruel woman he knew but it did not make her blatant distaste for him hurt any less. When he was young he would see the way she cared for Robb and he would feel jealousy bubble up inside him. He didn’t understand what he did to warrant her hatred at the time, but now he knew that it was only his existence that caused her behavior. 

Now her blue eyes hardened when she saw him, but once again melted when she looked at Bran.

“I told you bathe, you must make the best impression that you can,” she said looking at his brother and barely acknowledging his presence. 

Bran looked down at his mud covered shoes, “yes mother,” he said before running back into the keep. 

To his surprise after Bran was gone Lady Stark turned to him. Her eyes were cold and her posture rigid while she eyed him up and down. 

“I think it would be best if you would bathe too boy, Ned insists that you will be there to greet the king as well,” Lady Starks' voice was colder than ice and he flinched at the use of the word boy. She never called him by his real name, it was always only boy or bastard. 

“Yes my lady,” he replied.

With that she turned and marched off in the direction of the keep, presumably to get ready herself.

Jon walked back to his chambers, his head in the clouds. That was the most the lady Stark had said to him in months.

He bathed and changed into the clothes that his lord father had given him. He didn’t understand why he had to dress nice for the king, he would be standing in the back, out of sight like he always was. 

He tried to imagine that he was out running with Ghost, but all he could think about was how lucky his siblings were. 

Taking a deep, calming breath he mentally prepared himself for the meeting ahead. He shook his head and pushed his fears aside as he crossed his room to the door.

As he opened his chamber door Arya rushed past with Nymeria nipping at her heels. 

She was running deep into the castle away from where they were supposed to await the king.

“Arya!” he called after her causing her to spin around. She gave a devilish smirk and trotted back over to where he stood outside his room.The first thing that he noticed was that she was wearing a dress instead of her dirty old riding leathers.

“I see that someone was able to wrangle you into that,” he said pointing at her dress. It was a steel grey color that matched the eyes that were so similar to his own. 

“I didn’t make it easy for Sansa, I'm telling you. But she threatened to tell Septa Mordane some of my favorite hiding spots,” she pouted and shook her head. “I hate Sansa,” she said and he had to laugh and that. 

“Where are you going?” he asked more seriously. 

“I’m going to get a better look they are almost here. And don’t try to top me,” she said and before he could answer sprinted off. He looked to where she had stood only a moment before and shook his head smiling.

He walked out into the courtyard and saw that all the Starks, besides Arya, were finding their places. Many of the important figures in the household were placed behind them. 

Ned Stark was walking around commanding his men and when he saw Jon he waved. Jon waved back at his father and went to find Robb.

“Jon you’re here, I thought that you weren’t going to come for a moment,” Robb said with his signature smile. 

“How could I miss it,” Jon replied and Robb patted him on the back like he always did.

Robb went to stand beside the rest of his family while Jon went to stand beside the members of the household. Jon was placed in the third row back and stood alongside Vayon Poole, his father's steward. 

Theon smirked at him as he went to stand in his place.

“Sansa, where is Arya?” Lady Stark asked frantically. 

“How would I know,” Sansa replied defensively, but at that moment, Arya came rushing into the courtyard telling all of them that the king was almost there as she stood next to Bran. 

She looked back at him and smiled and he tried to smile back but all he could manage was a grimace. 

He looked in front to where all of his brothers and sisters were standing. How he wished that he could be up there with them and be a true Stark. If he was he would not have to stand away from his family and be something that they had to hide away.

He looked down and tried to push away the wave of emotions threatening to crash over him. Normally he could pretend that he was one of them, but right then watching from a distance he questioned how he could ever feel that way.

The horns blared and the gates opened to reveal two knights riding through on horseback. They had the Baratheon banners that showcased the black crowned stag on a golden field.

Jon stood up tall and tried to pretend as though being the Bastard of Winterfell didn’t hurt him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guy for reading! I know that this was sort of another set up chapter, but we will be getting to the main plot very soon.


	4. Heart of the North

**Daenerys Targaryen**

The weather was cold and grey, with snow flurrying down from the heavens to blanket the earth in white. The rolling hills stretched on for miles and the stink of the city was replaced with cool, crisp air that caressed her face as she rode. 

Looking ahead Dany could see the huge party that had ridden with them. The many horses and caravans snaked through the hills for as far as the eye could see. The crimson caravan that carried the queen glinted against the sun and created a beckon that Dany could see in the horizon.

The scenery was spectacular and unlike anything she had ever seen. Smog no longer hung in the air, and the forest was able to grow wild unlike it did in the city.

The beauty was diminished however by the aches and pains of riding. Her thighs throbbed and her muscles were tense from the many hours spent on horseback, but she held her head up high refusing to complain of the soreness that had been plaguing her. 

The soldiers who were guarding her joked like old friends and, though she was loath to admit it, it made her jealous. She turned away trying to quell the jealousy in her heart but found that it was easier said than done. 

When she turned to look ahead of her, she saw riders emerging from around the nearest bend carrying Stark banners as far as she could tell.  _ Wolves of one kind or another, _ she thought as the escorts grew closer and the grey direwolf on a white field became clear. 

Coming to a stop Dany's silver nickered softly and she reached down to calm the animal. 

She knew that they must be nearing Winterfell if Lord Stark had sent riders out to greet them.Their banners once again flapped in the breeze and revealed the snarling direwolf of the north.

It wasn’t long before they started moving again but the riders had awoken curiosity within her. 

“Ser, how long do you think we should be riding for?” Dany asked one of the older and quieter guards in her company.

“I am no ser, my lady, but it will not be much longer and you can see the castle in the distance,” he replied. Her eyes shot up at his words and sure enough Winterfell was coming into view.

The ancient stone castle was a sight to behold even at such a fair distance. The grey stone towers twisted into the sky and blocked out some of the clouds looming ominously behind it. 

This was not how she had imagined the castle to look from the books that she had spent hours immersed in. No, this castle was much more harsh and foreboding than the winter wonderland that she had come to imagine.

“Have you ever been to Winterfell,” she asked the soldier. 

“My lady, I can not say that I have ever been south of the neck before now,” he said and continued to ride silently beside her. 

She sighed and turned back to the castle that was slowly growing larger every league they rode. They rode for what could have been hours or minutes with the only way to tell that they had made any progress at all being the looming castle.

Suddenly the procession stopped once again as the king lumbered out of his caravan and had a horse readied for him. She knew that the king would want to make a large entrance and not want to show that he had been eating and drinking away the days in luxury. Even now he had a cup of wine in his hand that he promptly drank before handing it to a serving boy.

The horse that was brought was a huge black destrier with patches of white spotting its mane. It seemed to have an ill temper as it stamped its hooves and snorted as the steward brought it up to the king. He reached out and stroked its neck and called for a step that would allow him to get on the horse with his girth. The king was off balance as he climbed on and positioned himself on the horse.

She could see the golden queen exit the caravan as well only to be seemingly dismissed by the king who was now adjusting the cape that was thrown across the horse's back.

_ That poor animal,  _ Dany thought and stroked her own silver neck. 

Dany supposed that they could be only a few miles off or even less now that the king was riding on horseback. She knew that she shouldn’t be nervous but the butterflies in her stomach came to life anyway.

Winter Town was small and dreary as she rode through. The small folk looked at her with dead eyes that made her squirm on her horse. There were less people than she imagined and they seemed to be weary of outsiders.

The thoughts of the people of Winter town left her mind as the imposing gates of Winterfell rose up to greet them. The huge gates of wood with the Stark banners flying overhead were one of the most imposing sights that she had ever seen. The castle looked to be one with nature and up close she could see the evidence of how long it had been standing.

A horn blew and the doors opened. 

As she rode through she wondered not for the first time if Lord Stark would be as cold as the climate he lived in. It seemed that such a castle would have a harsh man for its lord. 

Everyone that rode in their party had turned serious and it was quiet as they rode through the protective walls.

_ I am a dragon,  _ she chanted in her mind and the mantra eased some of the nerves that are settling in her belly.

The yard was filled to the brim with people and when she rode in all of their eyes seemed to find her. The curiosity about people's gazes was not uncommon to Dany but to be openly stared at was something that always made her uncomfortable.

The king dismounted from the horse with the help of his stewards and briskly walked right up to a man at the very front of the gathering.

Ned Stark, she knew at once and continued to look down the line of people next to him. The woman beside him stood proud with her thick auburn hair pulled into a southern style that she had seen before. She had a severe gaze as her eyes wandered about the yard but softened when they landed on the children next to her.

The boy and the girl that stood next to her both seemed to have her coloring, but where the girl wore a serious expression the boys face was split in a grin. The other two younger boys were young with the same auburn hair and looked to be having a hard time staying still.  _ This must be Lord Stark's family,  _ she thought as she surveyed them. All of them shared their mothers coloring, except for one.

The strange one out of the Stark children was what looked to be the youngest girl. Her mousy brown hair and long face were similar to that of her father and she lacked the delicate features of her mother unlike the other children. The girl smiled as Dany looked at her and Dany found herself smiling back.

The king looked at Lord Stark before saying something that made his face break into a grin and they hugged each other. The king shared more words with the rest of the Starks before the queen came out of her caravan.

The queen seemed not nearly as warm to the warden of the north and stuck out her hand coldly to lord Stark so that he could kiss it. 

When the reunions were done, the king and Lord Stark disappeared heading somewhere inside the strange castle as she watched. 

She dismounted from her horse and brushed her mane lightly to calm her.

“I will show you to your chambers, my lady, and he will care for your horse,” said a young serving girl, taking her attention away from her horse and pointing to a boy who took hold of her silvers reins.

“That would be lovely,” Dany said softly and was led into the castle and up winding stone steps. She tried to memorize the way as the girl quickly led her to chambers in silence. Red, orange, and pink were being painted across the sky signaling how night would soon be falling. 

When they arrived she looked into a room that was extraordinarily bigger than the one she had in King's Landing with a fireplace and a bed filled with furs.

“All of you things are being brought up here as we speak. I hope that this is to your liking,” she said and looked at Dany hesitantly.

“It's wonderful,” Dany replied, “thank you,” and smiled as the servant bowed her head and closed the door. 

Dany ran her hand along the bed feeling the furs underneath. She sat and wondered what she was supposed to do in this strange place for she would not spend the first night she had outside of King's Landing sitting in her chambers. 

Deciding to find the library she padded across the chambers and peaked her head out the door. The hallway was deserted with not a person in sight and so dany slipped off in search of books to take her mind away.

But that would not be the case for as soon as she reached the bottom of the steps and took a turn she was lost. 

The hallways all looked the same with the grey stone looming on every side of her. Every person she came across looked busy and had other things to do than help a stupid highborn girl find a library. So she wandered letting curiosity guide her and not worrying about the consequences if she would come across the king or even worse Prince Joffrey. 

The sun was dipping low into the horizon and darkness was descending upon the keep. Dany walked through hallways and up stairs but saw no one. Soon she regretted her choice of not asking one of the maids for directions.

It was when she was coming around a corner and was sure that she had been going in circles when she got a feeling. The feeling that she was being followed, watched, or tracked. 

“Who’s there?” she called out and her voice echoed down the long hallway. 

If anyone wanted to kill her, here would be the best place to do it. She knew that many people in the north hated her for what her father did. She knew what happened to Lord Stark's brother and father. She knew that the king loved to watch her squirm as he told her the terrible, awful things that the Mad king did. It was another form of torture that might have been even more effective than the beatings.

What stepped out of the shadows was neither an assassin or a murderer. 

It was a dog. A strange dog to be sure for it didn’t make a sound when it appeared in front of her. Its fur was white as the snow, but that wasn’t the most unsettling thing about the animal. The most unsettling thing was its eyes. They were red and a darker red than blood. They focused on her with more intensity than she thought possible.

But she felt no fear when it silently approached her and she felt no fear when she reached out her hand to stroke the fur atop its head. 

Its fur was smooth and silky as her hand buried itself in its coat. Its head nuzzled her hand and she let out a laugh. It had been a while since she laughed and it felt good and so freeing. 

The dog or whatever it was pulled away and trotted back to the corner where it appeared from. It stopped there and looked back and Dany took that as a sign to follow it. 

It took her though passageways and up staircases and before long she was dizzy from all of the turns that they took. It looked back every once and awhile, almost as if it was reassuring itself that she was still following. 

When it stopped it stopped at a door she recognized. It was her chamber door, the door that she had left so many hours before. 

When she looked down at the beast again, it was staring up at her with those ruby eyes. “Have you been following me this whole time?” she asked, and it only cocked its head in response. She smiled and opened the door. 

The room now had a fire merrily crackling and it illuminated the room that otherwise would be cloaked in blackness. She saw that her things had been brought up and placed opposite of the bed.

The dog followed her into the room and laid down before the fireplace. 

Dany took off the heavy wool dress that had protected her from the cold and exchanged it for the soft nightgown that she wore for sleep. 

She turned toward the bed but instead of getting in she merely took the furs and moved them over towards the fireplace. Laying out the furs beside the dog she layed down and stroked its fur.  _ What am I doing?  _ she wondered but remained on the floor all the same.

That night she dreamed of a white wolf with red eyes running toward a weirwood tree with a black dragon with scarlet swirls in its scales at its side. The wolf howled and the dragon roared and the two sounds lingered in the night air.

The next morning she woke up to sounds coming from outside her door. They weren’t just sounds per say but voices. 

Her arm was still slung around the dog and it laid peacefully beside her. One might think that it was asleep until you would see its eyes dart around the room and its ears perk up. 

“Nymeria!” one of the voices said and it almost sounded like a girl.

“I don’t think he could be in there. The doors locked,” said another.

Dany heard a sigh,“well that’s where she says he is and did you see the way she ran over to the door!”

“It's not like a wolf can just magically open doors, Arya!”

_ Wolf? _ She scrambled to put on something presentable while she kept an eye on the dog—no wolf—that was still laying down by the fireplace. 

“I don’t know what you want from me. You asked for me and Nymeria's help to find him and we did,” the first voice said decisively.

The second voice replied, “We need to get this door open.” 

“Say that you wouldn’t have found him without me. Say it!,” and Dany almost laughed at the petty argument that was going on outside.

“We haven’t found him—” Dany opened the door and the banter was immediately cut off by both of them looking at her. She looked back at the wolf who stretched and padded towards the door. She opened it wider for him to move through where he greeted a second wolf.

The girl outside was the one that she had seen the day before and the boy looked just like her. The girl looked younger by a few years, but the boy looked to be her age or perhaps a bit older.

She turned to him saying,”I apologize for stealing your wolf.”

“Are you Daenerys Targaryen?” the girl asked before he could speak 

Dany stood up straighter at hearing her full name, “I am, and you are?” she said as she looked at both of them expectantly.

“I’m Arya Stark,” she said,” and this is my brother Jon Snow,” she said pointing to the boy next to her.

His last name revealed what he was. A bastard, an outsider, and very much it seemed like her. 

“Your brother? It makes sense, you two look very much alike,” Dany smiled and Arya grinned. 

“What are your wolves' names? If you don’t mind, I would like to know who kept me company all night,” Dany asked, curious about how you could ever find a fitting name for such a magnificent creature.

“Mine is Nymeria,” Arya said, petting the brown wolf, “and Jon’s is Ghost,” she pointed to the white wolf laying on the stone floor. Dany nodded in understanding.

“Why did you have my wolf?” Jon Snow asked and looked surprised even as he said it.

“He was following me around the castle and acted as my guide when I got lost. I know it seems strange but it is true. You have a very special wolf on your hands Jon Snow and I am pleased to say that he is good company,” Dany said and he only nodded and looked down at his feet. 

At that moment Arya Stark's wolf dashed off causing the Stark girl to sprint after calling her name. Then it was her, Jon Snow, and Ghost standing at her door. 

“Arya hasn’t trained her wolf very well I'm afraid,” he said,”It was nice meeting you, my lady,” and he walked away before she could reply. 

_ Ghost, what an apt name, _ Dany thought as she closed her door and changed into her riding leathers. She brushed and braided her long silver hair out of her face and gathered the furs off of the floor.

After her chambers were in order, Dany left and walked into the courtyard set on finding the heart of the north. The weirwood tree in Winterfell's godswood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	5. Athenaeum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place immediately after the previous chapter.

**Daenerys Targaryen**

The godswood was the most magical place that she had ever been, of that she was certain. The morning light bounced softly off of the trees and the snow sparkled in a way that had her enthralled. She had never seen anything like it.

A chill was in the air and it reached her through her riding leathers, but she didn't mind as they were much more comfortable than the heavy dresses that she had been wearing of late. The boots that she had worn were now covered in frost and her hair glittered with small snowflakes that drifted down from the trees.

Dany bent down and pressed her hand into the snow, feeling the cold sink into her palm. Yesterday, she had not taken the time to appreciate the beauty of Winterfell when she arrived.

The first time that she had seen snow was on their way north and a sudden storm had come upon them. Spending her whole life in the constricting heat of King’s Landing had not prepared her for the cold and the snow that came with it. She found that she rather liked that iciness that so contrasted the hot weather that plagued the south.

She brushed the snow off her hand and continued on her way, enjoying the enchanting sounds of the birds chirping. The forest hummed with life in a way that she had never experienced before. 

Dany weaved through the trees brushing her fingers along the textured bark. The trees were ancient and tall. They allowed for streams of light to reach the earth and shatter the shadows along the ground. 

She followed the disappearing footprints deeper into the godswood until it finally appeared. 

The books that Dany had read on it didn't do it justice. The blood-red leaves encompassed the pale wood in a beautiful halo. The gnarled roots to the weirwood weaved around a small pond with the clearest water that Dany had ever seen. But the most capturing thing about the tree was its face. The sap ran from his eyes down to its cheeks like tears and the expression seems to radiate sorrow. 

She slowly approached and rested her hand along the smooth wood, marveling at the heart tree. Crouching down on a large root, she examined a leaf that had fallen from the great tree. The red color of the leaves was familiar and gave her a comforting feeling. 

She gently paced the leaf into the pond and watched as it lazily floated away from her. 

Looking back up at weirwoods face she felt as if the tree could see her and knew what she was thinking. She felt like it knew her.

_ Stupid girl, a tree can’t know how you feel,  _ she chastised herself and went back to watching the leaf journey across the water. 

The peace she felt was overwhelming and she felt more at home here than she did even at the godswoods in King's landing. The one she had known all her life. 

When she looked back down at the water she could see her reflection. The one that she had hated all her life. Except now the reflection looked even more beaten and broken that it ever had before and she loathed it. 

Without thinking she scooped up the snow at her feet and threw it at the reflection that she despised.

The impact of the snow on water created a ripple that distorted the image as she looked away. The tears came and she angrily wiped them away. It wasn’t that she hated herself and she didn’t blame herself for what happened to her. But every time she saw her reflection she was reminded of all the horrible mistakes her family made. 

She was angry. Angry at her family for their madness, angry at Lord Arryn for leaving her alone, angry at the Baratheons, Lannisters, and even the Starks for their role in her suffering.

She pushed down the tears and told herself,  _ I am a dragon and dragons don’t cry. _

At that moment a twig snapped, and her eyes shot up frantically trying to find the person and had seen her at that moment. Her moment of weakness. But the only thing that she saw was bright green eyes staring back at her. Absurdly she hoped it was Ghost, the wolf she had seen that morning, but then Dany remembered the soft red eyes and her hope all but disappeared.

The wolf slinked out from the trees with its ears flattened against its skull. Its fur was a shiny back that was a startling contrast against the white of its teeth. The growl that formed in the back of its throat was menacing. It stalked towards her another growl ripping through the air. 

She couldn’t move, she couldn’t breath, and some part of her wanted the wolf to rip her apart. Then at least it would be over. Over and done with. But then it stopped and its ears pricked up.

“Shaggy!” could be faintly heard. The shrill cry pulled the wolf away and it louped back in the direction of Winterfell. 

When the wolf was gone she gasped for breath before turning back to the great tree beside her. She again placed her hand on the tree and felt her breathing start to slow. 

As she started to regain her control of her breath, she started to laugh. The concept of a Targaryen, a dragon, being eaten by a wolf was so absurd that she had no choice but to laugh.

When her laughing died down she smoothed her palm over the wood and looked to the sky to find that it was close to mid-day. 

The feast to celebrate the king's arrival was at sun down and so she knew that she had more time to explore Winterfell. 

Walking out of the godswood she couldn’t help but feel like she was leaving a safe place and going into the wolves den. She carefully scanned the courtyard for the ink-black wolf but saw no sign of it.

When she opened the doors that led inside the great castle, a rush of warm air immediately greeted her. And the grey stone wall toward her as she moved deeper inside. 

Determined to make it to the library she asked one of the servants who cheerfully directed her across the castle grounds and into one of the many towers. Foolishly, she thought she would see Arya Stark or Jon snow. They were the closest things she had to friends in this strange place. But the walk to the tower proved uneventful and she climbed the steep steps that spiraled about the tower until they reached heavy oak doors. 

“The athenaeum, my lady,” the servant stated as she gestured towards the doors

Dany smiled, “Thank you,” Dany replied, truly grateful for not getting lost in the maze of the castle. The servant bowed her head and descended the steps that led back to the courtyard. 

When she pushed open the doors the doors she was met with huge bookshelves that almost met the ceiling. They were lined with ancient literature that had probably not left Winterfell in hundreds of years.

She scoured the shelves trying to find things of interest about the north and especially anything concerning dragons. In King's Landing she had read all of the books on the topic of dragons multiple times, trying to understand the great beasts that led her ancestors to conquering Westeros.

After gathering the books she found a table near the back of the library where she settled in and got lost in the history of the north.

“Daenerys, lovely to see you here,” a voice said, breaking Dany out of an enthralling book detailing the long night. Looking up, she saw the afternoon rays shining across the library. The golden light seemed to set the room afire. 

“Lord Tyrion, a pleasure seeing you as well,” Dany said, avoiding eye contact and preferring to stare down at her book.

Tyrion was always kind to her, often helping her find books in the library and giving excellent recommendations. Once he even defended her to the king. It was a sight to see, Lord Tyrion against the demon of the trident. They were alike; she knew. Him, the disgraced son of Lord Tywin Lannister and her, the disgraced daughter of the Mad King. But she never trusted him even though he had been nothing but kind to her. For he was a lion and even a shamed one had claws. 

“You have quite the pile of books there,” he said while he waddled to the other side of the table and clambered up on to the chair. He plucked a book from her collection and caressed the front and opened it up to sniff the pages. “There is nothing quite like the smell of an old book is there. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, my lord,” Dany said in a quiet voice while still focusing on the volume in front of her.

Tyrion was by far the ugliest Lannister, and it seemed Jamie and Cersei had stolen all of the beauty so that there was none left for him. His twisted and stunted legs could not carry him far and his smashed face often made men uncomfortable, but Dany would take that existence of over hers anyday. 

“Would you mind telling me what you are reading, Daenerys?” he asked.

“The legend of the long night, my lord,” Dany mumbled while trying to find the line that she was reading. 

“Ah the Others.The creatures of the night come to kill the living,” he said with a joking tone and a smile, while Dany frowned, “Did I mention that I am going to the Wall, I want to see all of what Westoers has to offer before I go back to the hellhole that we call King’s Landing,” he said, disgusted by even the mention of the city, and Dany even allowed herself to laugh.

“The wall, my lord?” Dany said puzzled, “When are you leaving?”

“At the same time that you are to go back to king's landing I would imagine,” he shrugged. “Would you mind if I stole this book from you?” he asked, his mismatched eyes flickering from the book he had taken earlier to Dany. 

“Of course, my lord,” she said and when she looked into his eyes she thought she saw something akin to concern there. He sighed and closed the book in front of him.

“How are you faring here at Winterfell, Truly? Are you being treated well? Lord Stark is a fair man and I'm sure he wouldn’t want any harm coming to you,” he said and his gaze didn’t flicker when he tried to grab her hand and she flinched away.

“I am fairing fine, my lord.”

“It seems that we have known each other for some time. Call me Tyrion,” She detected warmth in his voice but she couldn’t believe it.

_ He’s a Lannister,  _ she thought and she could not push the thought away.  _ He’s a Lannister and I am a dragon. Dragons don’t fear lions. _

“I must get ready for the feast tonight,  _ Tyrion,”  _ she said cautiously, “It was a pleasure speaking with you as always,” he smiled and helped her collect her books off of the table. She was just about to leave when her curiosity piqued. 

“What book did you take, my—Tyrion,” she questioned.

“I believe it is about dragons,” he said and she smiled because she knew he also had an affinity for the creatures. “I was planning to ask Lord Stark if I could borrow some volumes for the ride to the wall. Perhaps the dragons inside this book will stop my balls from freezing off on the way north,” he chortled and she left the library with a smile on her face. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope every one is safe, happy, and healthy!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
